History Of This Amazing Art Form
Sweetgrass basket sewing is a craft that originated in Sierra Leone, West Africa and was brought to the Lowcountry of South Carolina by enslaved African people. Basketry was first used for the harvesting of rice, fruits, and vegetables on the plantations of the Lowcountry, and later used for decorative purposes.
The techniques of sweetgrass baskets are passed down from generation to generation in order to keep the craft alive. We were taught the skill by our grandmother and great-grandmother at an early age. We are proud seventh generation Basket Sewers who come from descendants of Laurel Hill Plantation of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
The Basket making process requires a great deal of patience, dedication, and creativity as there are no set patterns. Each piece is unique and in time an artist develops his or her own style of basket making. As basket sewers, we pledge to continue to carry on the traditional craft as long as there are raw materials available, as the development of rural areas are threatening the supply.
Sweetgrass basket sewing is a craft that originated in Sierra Leone, West Africa and was brought to the Lowcountry of South Carolina by enslaved African people. Basketry was first used for the harvesting of rice, fruits, and vegetables on the plantations of the Lowcountry, and later used for decorative purposes.
The techniques of sweetgrass baskets are passed down from generation to generation in order to keep the craft alive. We were taught the skill by our grandmother and great-grandmother at an early age. We are proud seventh generation Basket Sewers who come from descendants of Laurel Hill Plantation of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
The Basket making process requires a great deal of patience, dedication, and creativity as there are no set patterns. Each piece is unique and in time an artist develops his or her own style of basket making. As basket sewers, we pledge to continue to carry on the traditional craft as long as there are raw materials available, as the development of rural areas are threatening the supply.